FLORA VITIENSIS. 107 
z eee C. pubescens, and to vindicate the priority of the former name, a name eyidently overlooked 
ae oe e a Cucurbitacer. A. Gray has attempted to establish two varieties of this species, distin- 
aA a y Ps lape and the glabrous or pubescent state of the surface of the fruit, but the characters 
Pace o ae feet to hold good, Parkinson’s figure of the fruit exactly corresponds with the shape 
Biesban cis ‘ " eee but it is pubescent. In Wight’s plate one of the fruits is ovate, the other 
eal e lal, The tendrils are always simple. Forster’s Oucumis bicirrha, which A. Gray hesitatingly 
reiers to this plant, is identical with Cucurbita pruriens, Sol., as far as can be made out from description, 
VII. Cucurbita, Linn. Gen. n. 1478; Endl. Gen. n. 5138. Flores monoici. Mase. : Calyx 
tubo brevi campanulato 5-fido. Corolla imo ealyci adnatim inserta, campanulata, limbi 5-fidi lobis 
eestivatione induplicatis. Stamina 5, im corolle inserta, 3-adelpha, in columnam conniventia; an- 
there 1-loculares, loculo lineari, connectivi vix incrassati mutict dorso pluribus anfractibus longitu- 
dinalibus adnato, Foem.; Calyx tubo ovato v. obovato, cum ovario connato, limbo supero 5-fido, 
Corolla maris. Stamina sterilia. Ovarinm inferum, 3-5-loculare, placentis juxta septa utrinque 
parietalibus oo-ovulatis. Stylus 3-fidus; stigmata incrassata, 2-loba. Bacca obovato-clavata, glo- 
bosa y. depresso-sphzerica, oo-sperma, Semina ovata, compressa, margine tumido cincta. Embryonis 
exalbuminosi cotyledones foliace, radicula brevissima centrifuga.—Herbee annus, cirrhosxe; foliis 
alternis petiolatis cordatis integris v. 8-5-lobis; pedunculis axillaribus solitariis 1-floris; floribus 
luteis.— Pepo et Melopepo, Tourn, Inst. t. 33, 34. 
1, C. Pepo, Linn. Spec. 1435; foliis cordato-obtusis sub-5-lobis denticulatis; calycibus in 
collum infra limbum desinentibus; baccis subrotundis oblongisve lavibus.—Ser. in DC. Prodr. 
vol, ii. p. 317. “Pumpkin” of the English colonists.—Cultivated in Viti as in the Hawaiian and 
other Polynesian islands, but known to be introduced by Europeans. According to Solander (Prim. 
FI, Ins. Pacif.), it was brought to Tahiti in 1767 by Captain Wallis. 
The fruit is an excellent sea-stock, and much valued by whaling-ships as such. In the Voyage of 
H.MS. Herald to the Arctic regions, we had it on board for months, and found it to keep sound long after 
the yams and other tropical vegetables had become rotten,* 

I have specimens of a Cweurbitacea, collected by Mr. Williams in Viti, but they are without 
flowers. Leaves 5-lobed, glabrous, lobes pinnatifid or dentated, tendrils simple. At the base the 
leaves form an acute angle, otherwise they look like some forms of Momordica Charantia. 
* Oucurbita maxima, Duch, in Lam. Dict. vol. ti. p. 151; DO. Prodr. vol. ii, p. 316, though culti- 
vated in the Sandwich Islands (Seemann!) from time immemorial, has not yet reached Viti. The shells of 
this gourd are converted, by the Sandwich Islanders, into vessels (ipu), out of which they eat their “ poe,” 
i.e. fermented corms of Colocasia antiquorum, var. esculenta, as stated in my Narrative of the Voy, of 
H.M.S. Herald, vol. ii. p. 86. : 
Another species is peculiar to the Society Islands, Viz. Cucurbita pruviens, Sol. ms, in Forst. Prodr, n. 
554, sine deserip., et in Parkins. Drawings of Tahit. Plants, t. 109 (ined.); Seem. Journ, of Bot, vol. i. p- 
50. Pilis rigidiusculis pruritum momentaneum excitantibus hispida, caule angulato; foliis profunde cor- 
datis sublobato-5-angulatis sinuato-dentatis ; cirrhis 2-fidis ; peduneulis axillaribus solitariis ; calycis laciniis 
oblongo-lanceolatis reflexia ; fructibus elobosis, junioribus farinosis pilosis. Cucumis bicirrha, Forst. mss. 
in Guill. Zeph. Tait. p. 56.—Society Islands (Banks and Solander! in Mus, Brit.). : | 
Caules longissimt1, angulati, hispidi. Folia alterna, petiolata, inagna, latiora SH pean 
lata) quam longiora, profunde cordata, sinubus latis subrotundatis SARA Rae ae Pet en- 
ticulata, denticulis minutis teretiusculis, molliuscule, pilosa, pilis supra longioribus as ape ree errs 
venosa. Glandule nulle, Petioli plerumque toliis longiores, hispidissimi, Cirrhi z- di, longi, ms ek 
hispid. Peduneuli axillares, 1-flori, hispidissini, muaseula plerumque petiolis ses see oe em 
axilla, breves unciales, raro sesquiunciales. Flores magni, lute. Caly« hirsutus, oak pena an 
latis semiuncialibus reflexis. Filamenta a Anthere valde Bonen Da Seine ° ope rae is- 
simum. Pomeum globosum, cortice duro sublignoso tectum, farina al Da faci e goteteandyt wis irroratum, 
i inearibus undique adspersum, diametro 2- yel raro d-unciah, dum 
‘lisque rigidiuseulis pallidis sesqu Sl ju pers rica dea WE ek aot me 
ait a Maas fiat Presi Jeeve evadit absque farina pilisve, Sema magnitudine seminum OCucumeris sative, 
: P 2 
* Anna, 
